Celebrate Filipino American History Month this October at UH West Oʻahu! UH West Oʻahu has the highest population of Filipino students of all the four-year University of Hawaiʻi campuses with more than 20% of the student body identifying as Filipino. These October events were created to share the Filipino American Experience at UHWO and foster a thriving Filipino community at the University.
Merienda: Ice Cream Social, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2-3 p.m. at the ʻUluʻulu Exhibition Space in the UHWO Library
Merienda is the Filipino custom of a light meal or snack taken in the afternoon or between breakfast and lunch. Attendees will enjoy a Philippine-made ice cream flavor, ube (purple yam). Ube is native to the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries, and grown in many parts of the world in tropical settings. At the Merienda: Ice Cream Social, participants will meet and connect, get to know other students, staff, and faculty of Filipino ancestry, and collectively develop a Filipino community at UH West Oʻahu. Information will be shared about the Filipino American Experience in Hawaiʻi. The event will follow a Creative Media Masters Series discussion and performance by YouTube star Joseph Vincent and is open to all UHWO students, staff and faculty.
Pandesal Kape: Morning Mixer, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 9-11 a.m., Classroom (D) Building tunnel
Pandesal is a bread roll – a common food item among Filipinos in Hawaiʻi and in the Philippines. Paying homage to the Filipino in-home custom of waking up in the morning and enjoying pandesal and kape (coffee) with family and loved ones before starting the day, the Pandesal Kape: Morning Mixer includes pandesal and kape for all UHWO students, faculty and staff to enjoy, and offers an opportunity to talk story and develop a thriving Filipino community at UH West Oʻahu. Information will be shared about the Filipino American Experience in Hawaiʻi. The event is open to all UHWO students, staff and faculty.
Kamayan: Food and Fellowship, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 4-7 p.m., Campus Center Loft (second floor)
This late afternoon gathering treats attendees to a Kamayan (eating and using your hands) meal. Participants will take part in the custom of covering the tables with banana leaves, and placing the Filipino cuisine before enjoying the meal. Attendees will eat together and enjoy performances and poetry about the Filipino American Experience. The event is open to all UHWO students, staff and faculty.
For more information, contact Rouel Velasco (rouel@hawaii.edu), Katrina Abes (katrinag@hawaii.edu) or Marnelli Joy Ulep (mjulep@hawaii.edu).